Selective card dispensing tray



March 21, 1961 o. GARAPOLO SELECTIVE CARD DISPENSING TRAY Filed June 2, 1955 @yaw 7 March 21, 1961 o. GARAPOLO SELECTIVE CARD DISPENSING TRAY Filed June 2, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 All March 21, 1961 o. GARAPOLO SELECTIVE CARD DISPENSING TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1955 SELECTIVE CARD DISPENSING TRAY Orlando Garapolo, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Wilson & Co., Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 2, 1955, Ser. No. 512,637

Claims. (Cl. 53-391) The present invention relates to selective card dispensing trays to aid in the packaging of food products.

In the merchandising of certain food products, particularly sliced bacon, it is desirable to package them so that the contents are visible to the prospective purchaser. One of the most effective ways of providing a package of this type that may be handled extensively without deterioration is to place the sliced bacon on a stiff backing material such as a cardboard card, and then wrap the card and bacon with cellophane or other similar transparent material.

The bacon is transferred directly from the slicing machine to the packaging area without inspection as to differences between various slices. Even though the slabs of bacon may be graded before they are sliced, each slab is not always uniform as to size, and may produce some slices that vary in length or width. It is customary for packers to merchandise slices that are uniform in length and width under one brand name to denote the excellence of the product, and to merchandise all slices that vary from the standard under dilferent brand names at lower prices.

The sliced bacon is brought to the packaging area by a suitable conveyor belt, and an operator removes a desired amount of sliced bacon from the conveyor, places it on a single card, and then places the bacon and card on a second conveyor to complete the first step of the packaging operation in one single motion. We are not presently concerned with the subsequent steps of the packaging operation. The first step of the packaging operation, described above, can be repeated by a trained operator in a minimum amount of time and with minimum effort as long as the sliced bacon is of a quality to be packed on the same cards.

Normally the sliced bacon is delivered to the first packaging operator at a rate approximately equal to the rate at which he can dispose of it. Whenever some of the bacon slices vary from the standard, the continuity of the process is disrupted if the operator has to reach for a different card on which he can place the substandard slices.

The conveyor leading from the slicing machine is United States Patent provided with a series of take-ofif fingers at the end remote from the machine. In accordance with the present invention a card dispensing device comprising a double tray is positioned below the outer end of the take-oil fingers. The dispensing device includes a lower tray adapted to support a plurality of cards in stacked relationship with the uppermost cards slightly overlapping the lower cards. The cards are so positioned relative to the take-ofi fingers that the operator can remove a desired amount of sliced bacon from the take-off fingers, sweep it downwardly on to the uppermost card of the lower tray and continue the motion to place the card and the bacon on the second conveyor without stopping and without disturbing the neat arrangement of the bacon slices as they come from the slicing machine.

An upper tray containing cards bearing a different brand name is mounted ona lever pivoted to the lower tray. The lever may be quickly shifted to move the upper tray forwardly so that the operator will place the bacon slices on the cards of the upper tray with the same sweeping motion whenever the slices vary from the standard. Accordingly, the double tray permits the operator to place either standard or substandard slices of bacon on the proper cards without disrupting the continuity of the operation. When the upper tray is in its retracted posi tion, the ends of the take-off fingers extend past the end of the upper tray so that it is impossible for the operator to accidentally pick a card from the upper tray. Similarly, when the upper tray is moved forwardly it overlies the lower tray to such an extent that it is impossible for the operator to accidentally pick a card from the lower tray.. It will be understood that either tray may support the cards for the standard bacon slices and the other will hold the cards for the substandard slices.

The structure by which the above and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the double tray em bodying the invention, with the lower tray in operativeposition; v

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 1, showing the upper tray in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the double tray with the lower tray in operative position; i

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4, with the upper tray in operative position;

Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the double tray, with associated mechanism removed to show the relationship of the trays;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the card upon which the sliced bacon is placed; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing how the tray is used.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 2 and 3 desigmate a pair of longitudinal frame members having a transverse frame member 4 connecting them at one end. Brackets 5 and 6 are mounted on the frame members 2 and 3 in transverse alignment. Bracket 5 is provided with a plurality of notches 7 aligned transversely with corresponding notches 8 in bracket 6 to provide longitudinal adjustment for the dispensing tray. A transverse bar 9 removably positioned in aligned notches 7 and 8 is rigidly secured to the rear end of a lower tray 12.

The lower tray 12 comprises a flat bottom 13 having a pair of upstanding side walls 14 and 15 having inturned horizontal flanges 16 and 17 at their upper edges to limit the height of the stack of cards 18 adapted to be held in the tray. A lip 19 extends forwardly and upwardly at at an obtuse angle from the front end of bottom 13 to facilitate removal of individual cards 18 from the stack of cards. The rear end of tray 12 is supported by a pair of brackets 20 welded to transverse bar 9 adjacent opposite sides of the rear end of tray 12. Preferably the rear ends of side walls 14 and 15 are also welded to bar 9.

The upper tray 21 comprises a fiat bottom 22, upstanding side walls 23 and 24, an upstanding rear wall 25, and a lip 26 similar to lip 19. Tray 21 is of the same width as tray 12, and bottom 22 is adapted to rest on flanges 16 and 17. A link 27 pivotally connected at one end to side wall 23 is pivotally connected at its other end to bracket 20. A lever-28 pivotally connected at one end to the opposite bracket 20 is pivotally connected to side wall 24. Lever 28 extends above side wall 24 and is provided at its upper end with a handle 29 to facilitate manual pivotal movement of the lever which moves upper tray 21 through a small are between a forward, operative position, shown in Fig. 2, and a retracted, inoperative position, shown in Fig. 1. A stack of cards 18, similar to the cards stacked in tray 12 but imprinted with a different brand name, is placed in tray 21. The height of the stack of cards in tray 21 is limited by a transverse rod 30 having downturned ends welded to transverse bar 9.

A plurality of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending take-off fingers 31 extend forwardly from the adjacent end of a conveyor 32 suitably mounted in the frame. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the conveyor 32 comprises a plurality of transversely spaced endless belts 33 extending around rollers 34 mounted on a shaft 35 in transversely spaced relationship. The opposite end of the conveyor is constructed in the same manner, and suitable driving means is connected to either one of the shafts. Take-off fingers 31 are mounted on a bracket (not shown) positoned rearwardly of shaft 35, and are supported intermediate their ends by transverse rod 3%. If desired, fingers 31 could be mounted on a bar extending transversely of the frame and supported thereby.

The front end portions of fingers 31 are preferably inclined downwardly at a slight angle to facilitate the downward sweep of the operators hand in removing the sliced bacon from the take-off fingers. The front ends of the take-off fingers terminate in a transverse plane rearwardly of lip 19 so that as the operator sweeps his hand down Wardly from the take-off fingers with the desired quantity of sliced bacon held therein, the bacon is applied to the card and the card and bacon are transferred to a second conveyor 36, which extends under tray 12, in one continuous motion. Conveyor 36 is preferably similar to conveyor 32 and carries the bacon and cards from the first operator to other operators who complete the packaging operation.

When lever 28 is pulled forwardly, tray 21 is moved forwardly so that the operators hand moves the bacon on the uppermost card of tray 21 and then transfers the card and bacon to conveyor 36. Lever 28 is positioned on the side of the structure adjacent the operator. The transfer of the bacon from take-ofifingers 31 to card 18 and then to conveyor 36 is essentially a one handed operation, and the operator therefore has one hand free. When he spots substandard slices he operates lever 28 with his free hand to move the tray having cards bearing the substandard mark into operative position, and handles the bacon with the other hand without slowing down the rate of feed. As soon as the substandard slices have been placed on the appropriate cards, and the sliced bacon being fed by conveyor 31 is again of standard quality, the lever 28 is moved in the opposite direction. It will be understood that either tray may contain the standard or the substandard cards.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionv Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

1. In a packaging apparatus, the combination of a supporting member for holding merchandise to be packaged on cards and a card dispensing device, said device comprising a lower card holding tray, an upper card holding tray pivotally secured to said lower tray, and a lever operably to shift said upper tray relative to said lower tray to selectively position either of said trays in card dispensing position, said upper tray being positioned beneath said supporting member with its front end rearwardl-y of the front end of said supporting member when said lower tray is in card dispensing position, said upper tray being inaccessible for card dispensing purposes in said above described position, said upper tray overlying said lower tray substantially to render said lower tray inaccessible for card dispensing purposes when said upper tray is in its card dispensing position.

2. In a packaging apparatus, the combination of a supporting member for holding merchandise to be packaged on cards and a card dispensing device, said device comprising a lower card holding tray, an upper card holding tray movable relative to said lower tray from a retracted position beneath said supporting member in which said upper tray is inaccessible and said lower tray is accessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom to a forward position relative to said supporting member, in which said upper tray is accessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom, the front end of said upper tray projecting forwardly of the plane extending from the front end of said supporting member to the front end of said lower tray when said upper tray is in its forward position, whereby said lower tray is inaccessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom when said upper tray is in its forward position.

3. In a packaging apparatus, the combination of a supporting member for holding merchandise to be packaged on cards and a card dispensing device, said device comprising a lower card holding tray, an upper card holding tray, and a lever pivotally secured to said lower tray, said upper tray being secured to said lever, whereby said lever 'asms're,

'is operable to move said upper tray relative to said lower tray from a retracted position beneath said supporting member in which said upper tray is inaccessible and said lower tray is accessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom to a position forwardly of said supporting member in which said upper tray is accessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom, said lower tray be ing inaccessible for dispensing individual cards therefrom when said upper tray is in its forward position.

4. In a packaging apparatus, a card dispensing device comprising a lower card dispensing tray and an upper card dispensing tray secured to said lower tray in longitudinally offset relationship, a conveyor having a delivery end positioned in a plane above said upper tray, a plurality of take-off fingers mounted in fixed relationship to said delivery end of the conveyor and overlying said upper tray, a second conveyor extending below said lower tray to receive articles moved manna ly from said takeoff fingers in a uniform path of travel and positioned on a card dispensed from one of said trays as said articles are moved past said one tray, and means for shifting said upper tray longitudinally relative to said lower tray to position said upper tray into or out of said path of travel, whereby said articles are positioned on a card dispensed from said upper tray when said upper tray is in one position, and positioned on a card dispensed from said lower tray when said upper tray is in another position.

5. In a packaging apparatus, a card dispensing device comprising a lower card dispensing tray and an upper card dispensing tray secured to said lower tray in longitudinally offset position, a conveyor having a delivery end positioned in a plane above said upper tray, a piurality oftake-off fingers each having one end secured in fixed position to said conveyor with the opposite end overlying said upper tray, a second conveyor having one end positioned below said lower tray to receive articles manually moved from said take-oiffingers past said lower card dispensing tray in a uniform path of travel whereby said articles are placed on a card stacked in said tray and said card and articles are deposited on said second conveyor, and a lever secured to said upper tray for selectively moving it longitudinally relative to said lower tray into said path of travel, whereby articles moved from said take-off fingers along said path of travel 5 6 are placed on a card stacked in said upper tray instead 1,504,256 Marcuson Aug. 12, 1924 of a card stacked in said lower tray. 2,222,271 Warner Nov. 19, 1940 2,650,150 Smith et a1 Aug. 25, 1953 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,664,205 Shellman Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,464,833 Ringler Aug. 14, 1923 235,293 Great Britain June 10, 1925 

